Toy building brick



y 1957 c. MEEHAN ET AL I 2,800,743

TOY BUILDING BRICK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1955 INVEN TORSCLARENCE L. MEEHAN DOUGLAS PATTERSON BY. ATT'YS c. MEEHAN E1 AL2,800,743

July 30, 1957 TOY BUILDING BRICK Filed llaroh 8. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2F,IG.8A

FIGQIO INVFNTORS CLARENCE L DOUGLAS PA EHAN RSON .ME TTE FIKDA UnitedStates Patent TOY norrnrno BRICK Clarence Leonard Meehan, Fort Credit,Ontario, and Douglas Patterson, King City, Ontario, Canada, as signersof one-fourth to Edward R. Renouf, Toronto, Untario, and enefcurth toLeslie G. Chambers, Per? Credit, Ontario, Canada Application March 8,19%, Serial No. 4%,?39

4 Claims. (Cl. id-25) This invention relates to toy bricks forconstructing miniature buildings and in particular to toy bricks of thetype which interlock with one another to produce a rigid structure.

Toy building bricks as presently in common use suffer from a number ofdisadvantages that are overcome by the present invention. Firstly, withthe conventional bricks it is impossible to join two bricks togetherwith their adjacent faces making an angle of other than 90 or 180. Inorder to effect a 45 joint the more expen sive sets of bricks provide aspecial brick which can be used for this purpose. There are fewer ofthese spe cial bricks than of the standard bricks and the type ofbuilding that can be made with the set will be limited by the number ofspecial bricks that are available. As the number of these special bricksis reduced due to loss and breakage the variety of buildings that can bebuilt diminishes until the set is finally completely useless and isdiscarded. I

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a set ofbuilding bricks which makes use of only one type of block which iscapable of performing all the functions of the special blocks inconventional sets.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a set ofbuilding bricks which is adapted to produce a structure in which eachbrick is rigidly interlocked with the adjacent bricks so that astructure built by the set is rigid and self-supporting.

It is a further object to provide a building brick, the configuration ofwhich is adapted for manufacture by production-line methods.

In accordance with the invention a toy building brick comprises a blockof generally rectangular outline and of substantially squarecross-section, the length of the block being twice its width. Groovesare provided running along the length of each of three sides of theblock and two lugs extend from the fourth side, the distance between thecentres of the lugs being equal to one-half the length of the block andthe distance from the centre of each lug to the adjacent end of theblock being equal to one-quarter the length of the block.

In the accompanying drawings two embodiments of the invention areillustrated, like reference numerals referring to the same parts in eachof the various views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the block of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the block of Fig. 3;

' Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a number of blocks interlocked onewith the other;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a fragment of a wall constructed withthe blocks;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of a portion of wall and roof showing how theroof is joined to the wall;

Figs. 8, 8a, 9, 9a, 10 and 10a are end elevations of blocks showing howtwo or more blocks may be joined together at various angles.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the preferredembodiment of the invention consists of a generally rectangular block ofsubstantially square cross section having four side faces andtwo endfaces 14 and 15. Grooves A, B and C are provided in each of side facestil, it and 12 and extend the complete length of the block. It will beseen that the grooves A, B and C divide the side faces into two partswhich bear reference numerals Illa, 10b, lira, 11b, 12a and 12b. Thefourth side 13 is provided with a lug L lying on a line bisecting thewidth of side 13, and preferably with two such lugs L. When two lugs areused, the centres of the lugs L are spaced apart a distance equal toone-half the length of the block; in any event the centre of a lug isspaced from the adjacent end of the block by a distance equal toonequarter the length of the block.

The lugs L are conical in side elevation and are circular in horizontalcross-section. Each of the grooves A, B and C is sagittate, orarrow-head shaped in cross-section and is provided with walls 16 and 17which meet at the bottom of the groove at an angle of and extendoutwardly towards side wall of the block. Shoulders 18 and 19 extendinto the opening of the groove from the edges thereof to constrict theopening. It will be seen from a consideration of Fig. 2 that the lugs Lare also provided with shoulders 18L to cooperate with shoulders 18 and19 in the grooves thereby assuring that the lugs L will be positivelyengaged in the grooves when they are inserted therein. Holes 20 may beprovided in the end faces 14- and 15 of each block to receive short pegsor dowels to enable adjacent blocks to be engaged with one another whenthey are placed in end to end relationship.

While the lugs L, as shown and described are conical in verticalcross-section and circular in horizontal crosssection, it is alsocontemplated by the invention that they be pyramid-shaped, having asquare horizontal crosssection. Such lugs are equally well adapted toperform the interlocking function of the lugs but will not permit apivoting movement of one block about the lug of another when they areinterengaged.

From Fig. 2 it will be seen that grooves, A, B and C produce in cornersD and E of the block, members having a cross-sectional shape and sizesimilar to the crosssectional shape and size of each of the grooves A, Band C and of the lugs L. The corners D and E are adapted to be insertedby a sliding movement into any of the grooves of adjacent blocks. Faces10b and 11a of corner D correspond to faces 16 and 17 of a groove andshoulders 18 and 19 extending from corner D will engage with shoulders18 and 19 extending into the opening of a groove in an adjacent block.

In Fig. 5 a number of block are shown engaged with one another. The twoblocks in the lower tier which bear reference numerals 21 and 22 aresecured together by means of block 23 which is engaged by means ofgroove B with lugs L on blocks 21 and 22. Block 24 is secured to block23 by means of lug L on block 23 being interlocked with groove B ofblock 24. If further blocks are to be added to this structure they canbe engaged with the existing blocks in a similar manner.

In Fig. 6 a fragment of a wall is shown in which blocks 25, 26 and 27are lying in end to end relationship with blocks 28- and 29 securingthem together by means of groove -B engaging lugs L of the lower tier.Lugs L on blocks 28 and 29 extend upwardly in readiness to receivegroove B of a third tier if it is to be applied. Alternatively, a thirdtier can be secured to the existing structure by means of either groovesA or C. In this case the lugs L of the blocks in the third tier willextend from the wall at an angle of 90 to enable a horizontal member tobe added thereto.

InFig. 7 the method of securing a roof to a wall structure is' shown.The Wall structure W consists of a series of blocks secured together oneabove the other with the uppermost block engaging, by means of groove C,the lug L of the tier immediately beneath it. The roof R is constructedin a manner similar to the wall and groove C of block 30 is engaged withcorner D of block 31 thereby securing the roof R to the wall W at anangle of 45. It will be appreciated that as the structure is completedthe other side of the roof will be secured to the side illustrated at anangle of 90 by engaging lug L of the block at the ridge of the roof withgroove C of the first block on the other side. The opposite wall can besecured to the other side of the roof in a manner identical to thatillustrated in Fig. 7.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 a second embodiment of the invention willbe described. The block shown in Fig. 3 is similar to the block shown inFig. l with the exception of the orientation of the groove A and face awith respect to the remainder of the block. Face 1011' of the block hasbeen sloped towards the lugs L at an angle of The shoulder 19 of grooveA has been moved upwardly a short distance and groove A has been tiltedso as to remain at the same angle with respect to face 10a as it is inthe embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Face 10b of the block is, therefore,somewhat wider than face 12a on the opposite face of the block. This canbe more clearly seen in Fig. 4.

Referring now to Figs. 8, 8a, 9, 9a, 10, and 10a, the method of makinguse of the angled face of the block shown in Figs. 3 and 4 will bedescribed. In the following description the blocks of the type shown inFigs. 1 and 2 are designated by reference character F and the blocks ofthe type shown in Figs. 3 and 4 bear the reference character G. In Fig.8 two blocks F are shown joined together by means of lug L in one blockextending into groove A of the second block. In this manner two blocksmay be joined together at an angle of 90. Alternatively, lug L of oneblock could extend into groove B of the second block thereby joining theblocks together at an angle of 180. In Fig. 8a a block F is shownengaged with a block G, the lug L of block F being in engagement withgroove A of block G. In this manner two blocks are joined together at anangle of 15 In Fig. 9 two blocks F are shown joined together with cornerE of one block in engagement with groove A of the second block. In thismanner the two blocks are joined together at an angle of In Fig. 9a ablock F is engaged with a block G by means of corner D on block F beingin engagement with groove A of block G. This results in the two blocksbeing joined together at an angle of 30. In Fig. 10 a block F is engagedwith a block G with the corner E engaged with the groove A of block G,with the block G, in this case, having been rotated through an angle of180 with respect to the position shown in Fig. 9a. The result is thattwo blocks are joined together at an angle of In Fig. 10a three blocksF1, F2 and F3 are shown engaged with a block G. The lug L of block F1 isengaged with groove C of block F2. Block F3 is in engagement with blockF2 by means of lug L engaging groove A, and lug L of block F2 is inengagement with block G by means of lug L engaging groove A of block G.The result is that block F3 makes an angle with block G of while blockF1 makes an angle of with block G.

It will be seen that a very great number of angles can be made by usingthe blocks F and G in various combinations and orientaions. As a result,an almost infinite variety of structures can be built by using theblocks of this invention.

While it is contemplated that the preferred embodiment of this inventionbe used to make up a set of building bricks employing only one block, itis also contemplated that sets of building bricks of the type shown inFigs 3 and 4 be supplied to be used in conjunction with the sets of thetype shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A somewhat greater variety of structurescan be made by employing both types of blocks. However, the type ofblock shown in Fig. 1 is capable of building almost any structure whichfollows normal building techniques.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a building brick hasbeen disclosed which overcomes the disadvantage of conventional sets ofrequiring a number of auxiliary special blocks for the purpose of makingcorners and angle joints.

It will also be seen that in the structures disclosed in the drawingseach block is positively interlocked with adjacent blocks so that theresultant structure is rigid and self-supporting.

While the preferred form of two embodiments have been disclosed indetail it will be appreciated that minor modifications can be made inthe structure and configuration of the blocks without departing from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Atoy building block of generally square transverse sectional shape, alongitudinal groove extending centrally along each of at least threesides of said block, each of said grooves being undercut andnon-circular in transverse section, the longitudinal corner portions ofsaid block, between groves on adjacent sides thereof, being oftransverse sectional shape complementary to said grooves and slidablyreceivable in a groove of a similar block to hold said blocks rigidly infixed angular relationship.

'2. A toy building block as defined in claim 1 wherein said longitudinalcorner portions are defined by intersecting fiat surfaces and whereinthe bottoms of said grooves are] defined by intersecting flat surfacesarranged symmetrically to a medial plane normal to the correspondingside of said block.

3. A toy building block of generally square transverse sectional shape,a longitudinal groove extending centrally along each of at least threesides of said block, each of said grooves being undercut andnon-circular in transverse section, the longitudinal corner portions ofsaid block, between grooves on adjacent sides thereof, being oftransverse sectional shape complementary to said grooves and slidablyreceivable in a groove of a similar block4o hold said blocks rigidly infixed angular relationship, and at least one headed lug extendingrigidly from the fourth side of said block, said lug having a transversesectional shape complementary to said grooves and slidably receivable ina groove of a similar block to hold said blocks rigidly in face-abuttingrelation.

4. A toy building block as defined in claim 3 wherein the lengththereof, measured in the direction of said grooves, is an integralnumber of times the width thereof, there being one of said lugs for eachunit of length of said block corresponding to the width thereof.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,245,440 Converse Nov. 6, 1917 1,286,462 Wesche Dec. 3,1918 1,898,297Fox Feb. 21, 1933 2,406,759 Glukes Sept. 3, 1946

